Control head



Oct. 9, 1934., I s; w G r AL 1,976,238

. CONTROL HEAD Original Filed March 4, 1931 Z-Sheets-Sheet l F 4 3kg 36 36 Z6 0 Eli .97

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Oct. 9, 1934.

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fcoN'rRoL HEAD Original'Fild Max-c114, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 9, 1934 PATENT OFFICE CONTROL HEAD Spencer William Long, Bedondo Beach, and

Forrest Joseph Young, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The National Superior Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Serial No. 520,112,

March 4, 1931. This 1933, Serial No. 656,314

28 Claims.

This invention relates to control heads, and more particularly to control or packing heads adapted to be connected to the upper head of a casing of an oil or gas well for suspending an inner casing therein for packing ofi the inner casing to control the flow of fluid through said casing. In the drilling of wells for the recovery of oil and gas, the hole is. drilled of a certain size to a depth dependent upon drilling conditions encountered. The hole as drilled is cased with a casing for the purpose of providing a wa-- ter shut-oil to prevent water passing into the I well.

-A smaller casing is then passed through the larger casing and is carried to a greater depth. A series of the casings are employed in drilling an oil well as the hole is thus stepped'down in diameter, each of the casingsbeing cemented off as it is set. These casings require suspension from the surface.

This application is a continuation of our application heretofore filed, Serial No. 520,112, filed March 4, 1931, for Control head.

This invention contemplates the use of a control head of the slip type for suspending a casing or a series of casings within the outer string of casing, and provides an efiective means for packing ad the respective casings so as to con trol the fiow of gas or other fluid through the casings after they have been set.-

In the controlling of the flow of fluid from such casings where high gas pressureis encountered, it has been found extremely difiicult to control the flow of gas due to the extreme pressures 0 encountered and the liability of the gas when flowing at a high rate to cut out the structure of the control head. It has also been found that when high pressure is encountered that there is a tendency developed to heave the entire strings of casing upwardly so that any packing assembly which depends for its effectiveness upon the weight of the suspended string of casing is in-" effectual to properly control the discharge oi gas from the well.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a control head in which an inner concentric casing may be suspended and packed ofi at the surface of the well, the in'ner concentric.

casing being packed oif by means independent of the weight of the inner concentric string of application February 11,

are readily accessible to enable the adjustment of the packing as required and the control head being provided with a cap or head member which is likewise adjustably packed to the body of the control head.

Other objects and. advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation in mid vertical section of a control head embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional-end elevation taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

' Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation taken substantially on the line 3 -3 of Figure 1.

In the preferred embodiment of our invention indicated on the following drawings, 1 indicates an outer casing to which the body 2 of the control head is threaded as indicated at 3. The body 2 ,is provided with an intermediate tapered bore 4 providing a tapering shoulder for the reception of segmental slips 5. The segmental-slips 5 will grip the outer periphery of an inner concentric casing 6, suspending the inner casing 6 within the body 2. The slips 5 are mounted on the tapered seat 1 to grip the inner casing 6 after the desired tensi'onhas been pulled in the inner string 'of casing following the cementing oif of the inner casing 6. The inner casing 6 is then cut off at a point flush with the upper surface 7 of the body 2 and is threaded as indicated at 8 to receive a collar 9.

The body 2 of the control head is formed of larger diameter above the upper end of, the tapered shoulder 4 to provide for the reception within the bore of a cap member or packing seat member 10 which is threaded within this enlarged portion of the bore of the body 2 as indicated at 11. The packing seat member, or cap member, 10 in our preferred form of construction, is provided with an annular rim 12 which is of less external diameter and of greater internal diameter than the packing seat member 10 to provide packing recesses 13 and 14 within the bore of the control head 2 below the upper surface '7 thereof. In certain adaptations of this joints.

construction to control or casing heads, the member 10 may more properly be designated as a cap member 10.

Packing recesses 13 and 14 are thereby formed on opposite sides of the annular rim 12 and are independent one of the other. Packing rings 15 and 16 are mounted in the recesses 13 and 14 in position to pack the body 2 against the rim 12 and the collar 9 against the inner periphery of the rim 12. A U-shaped packing follower ring 17 is adjustably secured to the rim 12 by means of a plurality of bolts 18 spaced around the upper end of the follower ring 1'7. Bolts 18 are threaded into the rim l2 and are provided at their upper end with nuts 19. The U-shaped packing follower ring 17 has its two annular legs, 20 and 21 respectively, formed to pass into the packing recesses 13 and 14 to compress packing rings 15 and 16. By means of the packing assembly thus described, the inner casing 6 is packed to the packing base member 10 and the packing base member 10 is in turn packed to the body 2 of the control head. Relatively narrow packing rings 15 and 16 are employed which are easily compressed into packing position and are easily maintained in position to provide fluid tight The entire packing assembly formed, including the packing seat member or base member 10, is removable from the control head as are the slips 5, permitting easy manipulation of the inner casing 6 within the body 2 of the control head without obstruction before the same is set It is understood that the inner concentric casing 6 may be cut off a distance above the upper surface 7 of the supporting body 2 in order to permit packing directly against the casing rather than against the casing collar 9. This method is frequently preferred owing to the diiflculty in accurately threading the casing 6 for a coupling in the field.

The body 2 is provided above the slips 5 with a pair of vents 22 into which discharge pipes 23 may be threaded for conducting the gas and other fluid to the desired point of disposal. The fluid or gas passing through the control head passes between the sectional slips 5.

When it is desired to suspend a second inner concentric casing 24, a second control head body 25 is secured to control head body 2, or a cap member 26 may be secured to the body of the control head. The securing of the second body 25 or the cap 26 to the body 2 being in a similar manher, it is only deemed necessary to set forth the construction of one such control head body 25 or cap 26. In either case the lower end of the body 25 or cap 26 is provided with an annular base flange 27 which is adapted to be packed against the upper surface '7 of the control head bo y 2.

In order to pack the lower end of the body 25 or cap 26 to the upper surface 7 of the control head body, an annular packing groove 28 is formed around the upper surface 7. Packing of any suitable or desirable construction is placed in the packing groove 28. The lower end of the base flange 27 is provided with a downwardly extending packing rim .29 which passes into the groove 28 to compress the packing therein.

In order to adjustably secure the body 25 to the body 2, orthe cap member 26 to the body 25, or a similar cap member, to the body 2, the following means are provided:

A clamp ring 30 is passed over the end of the inner concentric casing and is threaded to the periphery,

body 2 at the threads 31 formed on the exterior surface of the upper annular flange of the body 2. The clamp ring 30 is provided with an inwardly extending clamp flange 32 carrying a multiplicity of spaced cap screws 33. The cap screws 33 are adapted to engage the upper surface of the base flange 27 to force the base flange 27 downwardly toward upper surface 7 of the body 2.. As the cap screws 33 are distributed evenly around the clamp flange 32 and are tightened equally, the packing groove 28 is expanded evenly, forming an effective fluid-tight joint between the body 25 and the body 2, or between the cap 26 and the body 25.

The construction of the control head body 25 and the packing assembly mounted therein is similar in all respects to the construction of the packing head body 2 so that it is not deemed necessary to a clear understanding of our invention to specifically point out and describe again this construction. It is to be understood, however, that any suitable number of packing head bodies may be connected together in a manner in which the body 25 is connected to the body 2, and also that our invention is not dependent upon connecting more than one packing head body together, but that a cap member similar to the cap member 26 may be directly connected to the control head body 2.

The cap member 26 is provided with an upstanding collar section 34 into which a casing section 35 equal in diameter to the diameter of the last inner concentric casing 24 may be threaded.

In order to handle the cap member 26, the same is provided with a pair of eye-bolts 36 which are threaded into the cap member at diametrically opposed points.

In order to provide a means for handling the clamp ring 30, the clamp ring 30 is provided at diametrically opposed points with trunnions 37 over which a rope cable or other means may be passed for hoisting the clamp member 30 in position. The trunnions 37 also provide a means for supporting the control head body before it is secured to the inner concentrically disposed series of casings.

Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but our invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a control head, the combination of a body, means for securing the body to the upper end of a casing, the body having a tapered seat formed therein, sectional slips mounted on said tapered seat to engage and support an inner concentric casing, a vent formed in the body, the bore of the body being enlarged above the tapered seats, a packing base member threaded in the enlarged portion of the body, the packing base member being provided with an upstanding annular rim providing packing grooves on its inner and outer packing mounted in the packing grooves, a U-shaped packing follower ring, and

means for adjustably securing the follower ring of the bore, the packing base member being provided with an annular rim defining interior and exterior packing grooves, and means adjustably secured to the packing base member for expanding packing positioned in said exterior and interior packing grooves.

3. In a control head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to an outer casing, the bore of the body being formed tapered for a portion of its length to provide a tapered seat, sectional slips mounted on the tapered seat to engage and support an inner concentric casing, a packing base member threaded in the bore of the body above the sectional slips, means for packing the packing base member to the body, means for packing the packing base member to the inner concentric casing, a cap member, means for packing the lower end of the cap member to the upper end of the body, and clamp means for clamping the cap member to the body.

4. In a control, head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to an outer casing, the bore of the body being tapered for a portion of its length to provide a tapered seat, sectional slips mounted on the tapered seat to engage and support an inner concentric casing, a packing base member mounted in the bore of the body above the slips, the packing base member being provided with a rim defining interior and exterior packing grooves, means adjustably secured to the packing base member for expanding packing positioned in said exterior and interior packing grooves against the body and the inner concentric casing respectively, a second body having a base flange adaptd to be positioned upon and packed against the upper end of the first said body, means for clamping the two said bodies together, the second said body having a bore therethrough providing a tapered slip seat, sectional slips mounted on the slip seat for supporting a second inner concentric casing, and means positioned within the bore of the second body for packing the second inner concentric casing to the second saidbody.

5. In a control head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to an outer casing, the bore of the body being tapered for a portion of its length to provide a tapered seat, sectional slips mounted on the tapered seat to engage and support an inner concentric casing, a packing base member mounted in the bore of the body above the slips, the packing base member being provided with a rim defining interior and exterior packing grooves, means adjustably secured to the packing base member'for expanding packing positioned in said exterior and interior packing grooves against the bodyand the inner concentric casing respectively, a second body having a base flange adapted to be positioned upon and packed against the upper end of the first said body, means for clamping the two said bodies together, the secend said body having a bore therethrough providing a tapered slip seat, sectional slips mounted on the slip seat for supporting a second inner concentric casing, and means positioned within the bore of the second body for packing the second inner concentric casing to the second said body, and a cap member positioned on the upper end of the second said body, means for packing the cap member to the second said body and means for clamping said cap to ,said body and to thesaid cap member.

6. In a control head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, the bore of the body being formed to provide a tapered seat, sectional slips mounted on the tapered seat to engage and support an inner casing, a packing base member insertable into the bore of the body above the slips, means to secure the packing base member to the body, adjustable packing follower means above said packing base member, packing means in contact with the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing between said packing base member and said packing follower means to pack off the annular space between the body and the inner casing, means to adjust the position of said packing follower means with relation to the packing base member, the latter said means including a plurality of stud bolts passing through the follower means and secured to the packing base member to adjust the position of said packing follower means with relation to. the packing base member.

7. In a control head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for seburing the body to a casing, the bore of the body being formed to provide a tapered seat, sectional slips mounted on the tapered seat to engage and support an inner casing, a packing base member insertable into the bore of the body above the slips, means to secure the packing base member to the body, adjustable packing follower means above said packing base member, packing means in contact with the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing between said packcuring the body to a casing, the bore of the body being formed to provide a seat, means mounted upon the seat for supporting an inner casing, a packing base member insertable into the bore of the body above the seat, means to secure the packing base member to the body, adjustable packing follower means above said packing base member, packing means in contact with the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing between said packing base member and-said packing follower means to completely pack ofi the annular space between the body and the inner casing, and means to adjust the position of said packing follower means with relation to the packing base member.

9. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means to secure said body to a string of easing, means within said casing head assembly to support an inner concentric string of casing, a packing base member, within said body above said casing supporting means, packing in contact with the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing with pressure applying means for same accessible Y from the dipper face of said packing base memthe body above the casing supporting means, means to rigidly secure the packing base member within the body, packing means in contact with the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing and insertable in the body and packing base member from the upper side of said packing base member to seal off the pressure between the body and the inner concentric casing, and pressure applying means to expand the packing.

11. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means to secure the body to a string of casing, means within the body to support an inner concentric string of easing, a packing base member within the body above the casing supporting means, means to secure the packing base member within the body, packing means in contact with the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing and insertable in said body and packing base member from the upper side of the packing base member to seal 01? the pressure between the body and the inner concentric casing, and packing follower means co-acting with pressure applying means anchored to the packing base member to expand the packing means.

12. In a casing head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, the bore of the body being formed to provide a, tapered seat, sectional slips -mounted on the tapered seat to engage and support an inner casing, a packing base member insertable into the bore of the body above the slips, means to secure the packing base member to the body, packing means in contact with the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing and insertable in said body to cooperate with the packing base member to seal off the pressure between the body and the inner concentric casing, and pressure applying means to expand the packing means.

13. In a casing head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, the bore of the body being formed to provide a seat, slps mounted upon the seat for supporting an inner casing, the bore of the body being enlarged above the slips, a packing base member mounted in the enlarged portion of the bore and secured therein, the packing base member being provided with interior and exterior packing grooves, and pressure applying means to expand the packing positioned in the interior and exterior packing grooves.

14. In a casing head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the bodyto an-outer casing, means within the casing head assembly to support an inner concentric string of easing, a packing base member mounted above the inner casing supporting means, a packing groove formed in the packing base member above the means for supporting the inner concentric casing, a separate packing groove formed in the packing base member between the member and the inner casing, packing mounted in the grooves, and means for applying pressure to compress and expand the packings with the grooves.

15. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, means within the assembly to support an inner string of casing, an annular cap member mounted in the body and having an opening for the inner casing, the cap member being provided with an annular rim defining an interior packing groove between the inner casing and the cap member and an exterior packing groove between the bore of the body and the cap member, and means to retain packing in the grooves.

16. In a casing head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, means within the casing head assembly to support an inner casing, an annular cap member mounted above the inner casing supporting means, means defining a packing groove between the cap member and the inner casing, means defining a separate packing groove between the body and the cap member, the packing in the grooves being accessible from the upper end of the casing head with the cap member in place, and means to retain packing in said grooves.

17. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means to secure the body to a string of casing, means within the casing head assembly to support an inner concentric string of casing, an annular cap member having an opening for the inner casing, means to secure the cap member to the body above said casing supporting means, packing means in contact with the body and the periphery of the inner casing, the packing means being accessible from the top face of the cap member, and pressure applying means to expand said packing means.

18. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means to secure the body to a string of casing, means within the casing head assembly to support an inner concentric string of casing, an annular cap member having an opening for the inner casing, means to secure the cap member to the body above the casing supporting means, packing means in contact with the body and the periphery of the inner casing, the packing means being accessible from the top face of the cap member, and pressure applying means secured to the cap member to expand the packing means.

19. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a unitary body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an annular cap member secured to the body, means defining a packing groove between the cap member and the body, packing means in the groove accessible from the upper end of the casing head body with the cap member in place, pressure applying means to expand the packing means, an inner casingaxially disposed within the first mentioned casing, and means to support the inner casing in fluid tight relation with the cap member.

20. In a. casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an annular cap member secured to the body, means defining a packing groove between the cap member and the body, packing means in the groove accessible from the upper end of the casing head body with the cap member in place, pressure applying means positioned on the cap member to expand the packing means, an inner casing axially disposed within the first mentioned casing, and means to support the inner casing in fluid tight relation with the cap member.

21. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a. body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an annular cap member having interlocking engagement with the body, means defining a packing groove between the cap member and the body, packing means in the groove accessible from the upper end of the casing head body with the cap member in place, pressure applying means positioned on the cap member to expand the packing means, an inner casing axially disposed within the first mentioned casing, and means to support the inner casing in fluid tight relation with the cap member.

22. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an annular cap member secured to the body, said cap member having a reduced annular portion on its outer periphery to define a packing recess between the cap member and the bore of the body, packing means in the groove accessible from the upper end of the casing head assembly with the cap member in place, pressure applying means to expand the packing means, an inner casing axially disposed within the-first mentioned casing, .and means to support the first mentioned inner casing in fluid tight relation with the cap member.

23. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an annular cap member secured to the body, said cap member having a reduced annular portion on its outer periphery to define a packing recess Within the cap member and the bore of the body, packing means in the groove accessible from the upper end of the casing head assembly with the cap member in place, pressure applying means positioned on the cap member to expand the.

packing means, an inner casing axially disposed within said first mentioned casing, and means (to support the inner casing in fluid tight relation with the cap member.

24. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a unitary body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the unitary body to a casing, an annular cap member secured to the unitary body, means defining a packing groove between the cap member and the unitary body, packing means in said groove accessible from the upper end of the casing head body with the cap member in place, means to retain the packing means within the groove, an inner casing axially disposed within the first mentioned casing, and means to support the casing in fluid tight relation with the cap member.

25. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an inner casing disposed within the first named casing, means within the bore of the body to support the inner casing, a packer means to seal off the annular opening defined between the bore of the body and the inner casing, said packer means including a stationary member, an adjustable follower member, packing means between said members in contact with the bore of the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing, pressure applying means directly connecting said members to expand the packing means to form a pressure tight seal, and means independent of the pressure applying means to anchor the stationary member immovable relative tothe body.

26. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an inner casing disposed within the first named casing, means within the bore of the body to support the inner casing, a packer means to seal off the annular opening defined between the bore of the body and the inner casing, said packer means including a stationary member, an adjustable follower member, said stationary and follower members cooperating to define an annular packing groove adjacent to the bore of the body and a separate annular packing groove adjacent to the wall of the inner casing, packing in said grooves in contact with the bore of the body and the wall of the inner casing, pressure applying means directly connecting said members to expand the packing to form a pressure tight seal, and means independent of the pressure applying means to anchor the stationary member immovable relative to the body.

27. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an inner casing disposed within the first named casing, means within the bore of the body to support the inner casing, a packer means to seal oi the annular opening defined between the bore of the body and the inner casing, said packer means including a stationary member, adjustable packing follower means, said stationary member and said follower means cooperating to define an annular packing groove adjacent to the bore of the body and a separate annular packing groove adjacent to the wall of the inner casing, packing in said grooves in contact with the bore of the body and the wall of the inner casing, pressure applying means directly connecting the stationary member and the follower means to expand the packing to form a pressure tight seal, and means independent of the pressure applying means to anchor the stationary member immovable relative to the body.

28. In a casing head, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an inner casing disposed within the first named casing, means within the bore of the body to support the inner casing, a

.packer assembly to seal off the annular opening defined between the bore of the body and the inner casin the packer assembly including a stationary member, adjustable packing follower means, packing means positioned between said stationary member and said follower means in contact with the bore of the body and the outer periphery of the inner casing, means to anchor the stationary member immovable relative to the body, and means accessible with the packer assembly in position to adjust the position of the packing follower means with relation to the stationary member.

SPENCER WILLIAM LONG.

FORREST JOSEPH YOUNG. 

